Magnetically controlled switch



Painted Sept. 12,1950

zszuzs us'ommcmr CONTBOLLliD swrron Harvey Hubbell, Long Hill, Conn.

Application February 3, 1945, Serial No. 575,950

9 Claims. (01. zoo-s1) This invention relates to electrical switches, and has for an object to provide a magnetically operated switch of improved construction and arrangement which may be constructed either as a sealed or unsealed switch, the sealed switch having contacts enclosed in a sealed chamber so that it may be used in atmospheres where there might be fumes or explosive gases, and there is no danger of the arcing incident to make and break of the circuit igniting adjacent objects.

Another object is to provide a switch construction in which the movable switch element and cooperating contacts may be enclosed in a sealed chamber with the control means for the switch located outside this chamber.

A further object .is to provide a switch construction in which the movable switch contact is mounted on and movable with a permanent freeiloating magnet which is operated to shift the movable contact toward and from the stationary contact by means of another permanent magnet mounted so as to be shifted relative to the first magnet to shift the first magnet in opposite directions depending on the position of the second magnet.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to beunderstood the device is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention. e

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the switch showing the movable contact in the circuit closing position;

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections substantially on lines 2-4 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with the operating knob removed, and

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in the position they occupy with the switch in the open circuit position.

In the construction shown by wa of illustration the device comprises a body ll of glass or other suitable molded plastic insulating material, and this may be provided with a sealed chamber H in which is mounted the movable contacts l2 adapted to engage and bridge spaced stationary contacts is forming the terminals of conductor elements It sealed in the glass or other insulating material, and provided outside the body with means for connecting the conductor leads to the conductors H, such, for example, as the binding screws II. The movable contacts I: may form the end portions of a conductor strip l6 of good conducting metal, such, for example, as phosphor bronze, and the contacts may be in the form of round or semicircular bumps struck up from the fiat strip. It is mounted on a permanent movable magnet ll. It may be secured to this magnet in any suitable way, but in the form shown is provided with ears ll extending-upwardly from its lateral side edges on opposite sides of the magnet ll andfolded over the top thereof. This magnet is preferably a rectangular straight bar substantially as shown, and is preferably made of some of the newer ferrous alloys which will retain a high degree of magnetism for an indefinite period, such for example as "alnico."

The chamber II in which this bar magnet and the contacts are mounted is substantially rectangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the magnet is held against turning in the plane of the magnet but may move up and down or laterally. to the plane of the magnet toward and from the stationary contacts II, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This magnet is therefore a freefioating magnet and is not attached to any mounting. When in its lower position as shown in Fig. l, movable contacts I: engage the stationary contacts II and through the connecting strip ll bridge the stationary contacts and close the circuit. By bending the ends of the strip It as shown at I, the contacts l2 are yieldingly mounted through the resilient action of the strip l6, preventing hammer blows on the contacts II, and it will be seen from Fig. 5 that when the magnet I1 and the contacts I! are raised to their upper position against the top wall 20 of the chamber, these contacts I! are separated from the stationary contacts I! and the circuit is open.

The free-floating magnet I1 is shifted to and held in its difierent position by a movable magnet 2l, and preferably this is a rectangular permanent bar magnet similar to the magnet ll. It is mounted in a recess 22 in the top of the wall 20 on the opposite side of this wall from the masnet ll and thus may be turned in the plane of the magnet. Any suitable means may be provided for mounting this magnet and turning it, but as an illustration it is enclosed in a metal housing 23 embracing the upper portion of the body I. and secured thereto by folding the lower end portion 24 about an annular bead 25 on the body. This housing includesa top wall ll spaced above the top wall ill of the body and carrying a bearing sleeve or nipple 21 for a rotatable shaft 28 secured at its lower end to the operating magnet 2 I.

3 Itmayberotatedbyanysuitablemeans,such for example as a hand knob 2!, which is preferably made of insulating material, such, for example. as "bakelite." Mounted between the top wall 26 and the magnet 2| 3 a spring II which comm-hes a substantially u-shape inverted body portion 3| seated on and embracing the magnet It so as to turn with it and the shaft ll, and having upward and outwardly inclined spring arms 32 provided with laterally curved endportions or feet a runningonaninwardlyextmdingcircularbeadtl formedinthetopwallfl. Thhlbeadisprovided with recesses or gap 38 (H8. 4) into which the feet I! may seat when the control or operating magnetli isinwiththeoperatedor floating magnet II to yieldingly hold this magnet 2i inthispositimbutwiilslideoutoftheaerecesseswhentheshaftilandmagnetli are rotated by the knob I.

Itwillheseenwhenthepartsareintheposition of Fig. 1 with themssnet Ii lyin in ali ment with the magnet l1 and with the north and south poles of this magnet adjacent the north and south poles respectively of the movable magnet ii, that these poles will repel each other and shift the floating magnet l'l downwardly or away from the magnet 2| and the top wall ll of the chamber, carrying the contacts I! into engagement with the contacts II to close the circuit. This action between the magnets will also hold the magnet I! and the movable contacts in this position. If now the upper magnet ii is rotated 180 degrees or a half revolution in the plane of the magnet to the position of Fig. 5, the north and south poles of the magnet II will be in alignment with and adjacent the south and north poles respectively, or that is, the poles of opposite polarity, of the floating magnet II. The poles of the upper magnet will therefore attract the lower magnet. lifting it to its upper position against the top wall 20 of the chamber, as shown in Fig. 5, carrying the contacts I! away from the contacts I! opening the circuit, and this coaction of the magnets will retain the magnet H and the movable contacts in this position. It will therefore be seen the magnet I1 is positively shifted in opposite directions by the magnet ll, through alternate attraction and repulsion between the two magnets. depending on the position of magnet II and its poles in relation to the poles of magnet l1,

and will be retained in its different positions by the reactions between the magnets. There is, however, no mechanical connection between the two, and if desired, the floating magnet i'l may be enclosed in a sealed chamber, although of course it may be operated in an open or unsealed chamher if desired. Also the operating magnet 2| may be located outside the sealed chamber and operates the movable magnet through a separating wall of nonmagnetic material.

This makes a very simple construction involving a minimum number of parts, and one which will operate effectively indefinitely. The movable magnet and therefore the mounting for the movable contact is positively operated in both directions by the control magnet without the use of springs and similar return devices, and therefore there are no springs to become fatigued or break. Furthermore, the movable contact will be operated in a quick make and break action, because when the control magnet II is rotated from the position of Fig. l, the lower magnet is held in its lower position, or the circuit closing position, until the upper magnet is turned sufliciently to bring its poles adjacent the respective poles of 4 i opposite polarity of the lower magnet. when will bequicklyshiftedtoitsupp position giving a quick break of the contacts. Similarly, when the upper or control magnet is rotated from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. l, the lower magnet is held in the upper position until the upper magnet is turned sufficiently to overcome the attraction between the two magnets and then the repulsion between them will quickly shift it to its lower position.

Insomecasesthemember ll,insteadofbeing a permanent magnet could be a member of magnetic material such as soft iron or the like. In such a case it wouldbe attracted by the control magnet II in either of its two positions of Fis8.1and2toshlrtthememberl1andthe switch contacts I! upwardly. However. when magnet II is in an intermediate position at right angles to the member II, it would not have sufficient attraction to shift members I! and it upwardly and they would vdrop to their lower position by force of gravity if the device is used in the upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, or a spring could be used toshiftithem tothe closed position. Or the members could be reversed, so that the control member 2i is not a permanent magnet but made of some magnetic material such as soft iron or the like, and the free floating member il could be a permanent magnet so that it would be attracted to member II when the two members are in alignment or parallel relation. It is, however, preferred that both members II and ll be permanent magnets.

' Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is:

'1. An electric switch comprising a free floating permanent magnet, means guiding said magnet for lateral movements while holding it against turning movements in the plane of the magnet, a stationary contact, a second contact carried by the magnet and movable therewith to and from the first contact, and a second magnet substantially parallel to the first magnet and mounted for turning movements about an axis at right angles to the planes of the magnets whereby like and unlike poles of the two magnets may be brought adjacent each other to shift the first magnet in opposite directions-by mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the two magnets.

2. An electric switch comprising a free floating permanent bar magnet, means guiding said magnet for movements lateral to the plane of the magnet while holding it against turning in said Plane, a stationary contact, a second contact carried by the magnet and shifted to and from the first contact by movements of the .magnet, and a second permanent bar magnet mounted adjacent the first magnet in .a plane substantially parallel to that of the first magnet and rotatable in its plane to bring its poles aiternately adjacent the unlike and like poles of the first magnetto shift it toward and from the second magnet by mutual attraction and repulsion between the adjacentpoles of the two magtact, a stationary contact'in the chamber, said chamber 'being'noncircular so as to guide the magnet for movement toward and from the stationary contact while holding the magnet'against turning movements in the plane of the magnet,

a second permanent magnet mounted. outside the chamber adjacent the first magnet, and means for mounting the second magnet for movements r'to bring its poles alternately adjacent similar and opposite poles of the firstmagnet to shift it and the movable contact toward and from the stationary contact by mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the two magnets.

4. An electric switch comprising cooperating stationary and movable contacts, a pair of permanent bar magnets arranged in adjacent substantially parallel planes and with their centers in substantial alignment so that both poles of each magnet are adjacent the respective poles of the other magnet, means connecting one of said magnets with the movable contact to operate it, means for guiding the latter magnet for bodily movement toward and from the other magnet while holding it against turning in the plane of the movable magnet, and means for turning the other magnet in the plane of this magnet to bring both its poles alternately and simultaneously adjacent like and unlike poles of the shiftable magnet so that mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the two magnets may act to shift this latter magnet in opposite directions and shift the movable contact. 5. An electric switch comprising a body member of insulating material enclosing a chamber, cooperating stationary and movable contacts in said chamber, a permanent bar magnet in said chamber connected with the movable contact,

means for guiding said magnet for bodily lateral movement while holding it against turning movement in the plane of the magnet, a control magnet at the opposite side of one wall of the chamber with both its poles adjacent the respective poles of the first magnet, and means for shifting the control magnet to bring both its poles alternately and simultaneously adjacent like and unlike poles of the first magnet whereby the mutual repulsion and attraction between adit against turning movements in the plane of the magnet, a casing enclosing one end of the body, a second permanent bar magnet mounted in the casing adjacent the outer side of an end wall of the body and substantially parallel with the first magnet, a shaft mounted in the casing and connected with the second magnet, means for turning the shaft to turn the second magnet in the plane of this magnet to bring it into substantial alignment with the first magnet with its poles alternately adjacent like and unlike poles of the first magnet to shift this latter magnet in opposite directions in the chamber by the mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the magnets, a spring member mounted between the second magnet and the casing and provided with spring arms, and means cooperating with these arms to retain the secject poles of the magnets will shift the first mag-- net in opposite directions. I

6. An electric switch comprising a body member of insulating material enclosing a chamber,

cooperating stationary and movable contacts in said chamber, a permanent bar magnet in the chamber connected with the movable contact, said chamber being noncircular in cross section so as to guide said magnet for lateral movement longitudinally of the chamber while holding it against rotative movement in the plane of the bar, a second permanent bar magnet mounted at the outer side of the end wall of the chamber and substantially parallel to the first magnet, and means for turning the second magnet in the plane of this magnet to bring its poles alternately adjacent like and unlike poles of the first magnet so that'the mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the magnets will shift the first magnet in opposite directions in the chamber.

7. An electric switch comprising a body member of insulating material enclosing a chamber,,

cooperating stationary and movable contacts in said chamber, a free floating permanent bar magnet in said chamber and connected with the movable contact for operating it, said chamber being noncircular in cross section and adapted to guide the magnet for lateral movements while holding Number 0nd magnet in substantial alignment with the first magnet.

8. An electric switch comprising coacting movable and stationary contacts, a pair of permanent bar magnets mounted in adjacent laterally spaced substantially parallel relation, means connecting one of said magnets with the movable contact for operating it, means guiding said latter magnet for lateral movement while holding it against turning movements in the plane of this magnet, and means for turning the other magnet in the plane of this magnet to bring its poles alternately adjacent like and unlike poles of the first magnet to shift this latter magnet from and toward the other magnetby the mutual repulsion and attraction between the adjacent poles of the magnets.

9. An electric switch comprising a body memable contact for operating it, said chamber being noncircular in cross section and adapted to guide the magnet for lateral movements while holding it against turning movements in the plane of the magnet, a second permanent bar magnet mounted adjacent the outer side of an end wall of the body and substantially parallel with the first magnet, and means'for turning the second magnet in the plane of this magnet to bring it into substantial alignment with the first magnet with its poles alternately adjacent like and unlike poles of the first magnet to shift this latter magnet in opposite directions in the chamber by mutual repulsion and attraction between adjacent poles of the two magnets.

HARVEY HUBBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

